A Ugandan judge on Friday denied bail to opposition figure Kizza Besigye, jailed for nearly nine months on treason charges, ruled that the constitutionally mandated 180-day remand had not reached term.

Justice Emmanuel Baguma held that the High Court recognized the remand period to be February 21, 2025–the date Besigye and businessman Obeid Lutale were charged–not November 20, 2024, when they claimed to have been detained by the General Court Martial.

In a post on X, Martha Karua, member of Besigye’s defense team, described the ruling as a violation of the Constitution, warning that it creates a “bad precedent” for Uganda. Erias Lukwago, Besigye’s defense spokesperson, noted that the law is on Besigye’s side, urging the judge to “stand on his two feet and then make the right decisi

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